The detection of infectious mononucleosis antibodies by radioimmunoassay and ELISA.

An infectious mononucleosis receptor (IMR) preparation has been isolated from sheep erythrocyte stroma. This material was used to detect the presence of human infectious mononucleosis (IM) antibodies with rabbit anti-human immunoglobulin antisera by radioimmunoassay and ELISA. These procedures use 10-20 ng of IMR and 5-10 microliter of human serum. A single treatment of the IMR with neuraminidase reduces its ability to bind to the IM antibodies by 80%. In addition absorption of the IM sera with sheep red cells completely removes IM specific antibodies.